Tag Archives: Witness

Before I get to the point…watch this incredible story of a Dad and his son.

You have experienced Amazing Grace if you have salvation. And you have been given new eyes, a new focus, new meaning…a new life. You have new sight. You have been looking at the ground all this time…at this world hoping to find happiness, joy, and fulfillment. Now, you can look up, and you can SEE. You have been given new life. From death to life.

And with these new eyes, How dare we look down on anyone else in the sense that we are any better – No, if anything we should have a better understanding of where they are – and where they could be! It should break our heart – motivate us to share how they could be rescued, delivered from death to life.

To sum up…you have salvation, NOW WHAT? Live a life as if you have been given a new life (because you have), and share this new way of living with those that have not experienced it. LIVE & SHARE!

This past week, I had the joy of leading a group of students to a mission trip to New York. The beginning of the week was filled with hard work on the Word of Life Bible Institute Campus and Word of Life camps. We mowed acres of land, and painted about a dozen cabins. It was a full couple days of work. Then, we took off for New York City to share the Gospel on the streets. Here’s what I learned from this precious week of ministry…

No “I Can’t”. We could have easily made this entire trip a week of work. Painting, cleaning, and serving at the camp would have been a blessing to both our team and the camp. We would have been physically stretched for sure, but these students needed something more. This was a step of faith, and for some a terrifying step. But they did it! They shared their faith with complete strangers, handed out tracts to people passing by, and prayed with people who needed answers. I saw fear change to boldness. A boldness I hope will carry on to bring the Gospel here…and reach this city for Christ.

People Need the Lord. Sorry for putting that famous Steve Green song in your head for the rest of the day, but it’s true. There are people who are searching for something bigger, searching for hope, searching for joy, searching for forgiveness…and the list goes on. And the Gospel can provide all these things. God has provided a way of hope, joy, forgiveness and assurance of eternal life. And people need this and many want to hear about it.

God Controls The Weather. I remember looking at the weather for our trip and seeing many days with rain in the forecast. With good weather being of utmost importance, I just had to pray that God would work it all out. Well, would you believe that it only rained when we were not doing ministry? That’s right, it rained at breakfast one day, and on the days of travel. Incredible! God is truly in control.

I’m ashamed that I’m ashamed. Why am I not sharing the sweet good news of the Gospel more? Am I ashamed of the Gospel? Am I too lazy? Am I too busy? If I’m honest with myself, it is probably a combination of the three. There’s no reason why I cannot have more Gospel conversations. It shouldn’t take 1500 miles of travel for me to be motivated to daily focus on sharing the Good News. While I have the privilege of sharing Jesus regularly as a pastor, I fall way short of the faithful witness God wants me to be.

I love my “job”. You may think I’m crazy for taking 7 teenagers into New York City (by the way, my wife was with us and she is amazing, and I brought another leader who was incredible on the trip as well). Who would spend a week of their summer driving nearly 25 hours, staying up late, mustering up energy to get teens up (and yourself up), sleeping on cot mattresses on the floor…I LOVED IT ALL! These teenagers bring me joy. I get to see them share their hearts, help others, grow closer to God, encourage each other, fight through fears and frustrations, and come home changed. I’m so very blessed to this for a living.

So for those that debate on doing short-term mission trips…do it. Do it to find life-changing results. Do it to change the culture of your youth ministry. Do it to help spread the Gospel and the love of Jesus. Do it because there is no lesson, program, or event you can design that does what these trips do. The teens that got on that bus or van at the beginning of the week will be different when they step off that bus or van at the end of the week. Go and make disciples of all nations!

Being a father is not easy. It is a tough task that takes time, patience, energy, love, and a tremendous amount of help from the ultimate example of Fatherhood, our Heavenly Father. When thinking of a picture of a good father, another word that comes to mind is boldness. Men, it’s time we be bold fathers.

Here are 3 ways to be a Bold Father (applications from the story of Elijah vs. the Baal Prophets in I Kings 18)

1. Bold in the Fight Against Evil – “Don’t Compromise”

Don’t compromise to appease the moment. That’s not bold, that taking the easy way out. Stand for righteousness. Even though you know you will get groans when you turn the TV off when the show turns from funny to raunchy. Even though you will get backlash from saying no to purchasing the new video game, because you know what mature rating could mean. Even though you might hear stomping up the stairs when you tell your daughter to go change again because it doesn’t meet the standards of modesty.

Take a stand for godliness, for holiness, for righteousness. Take a stand against evil.

2. Bold in Witness – “Don’t Baal Them Out”

You can’t “Baal them out”. Listen, there will be times when you know the right answer, you told them how it will end if they continue like this, but they simply disobeyed, ignored, and did it anyways.Don’t “Baal them out”. Suffering the consequences is something that will be their only teacher at times.

We live in a culture that everyone gets a trophy and you can’t grade in red pen anymore because it may damage a 1st graders psyche… our kids, in their disobedience and rebellion need to face consequences…don’t Baal them out.

3. Bold in Humility – “How can I Serve You?”

Dads, do you serve your family? Before you answer a quick yes – by saying you “work hard everyday to pay the bills and put a roof over your head and this is the thanks I get…” Oops, sorry, that was a speech I was saving for when my kids are teenagers.

Serving your family is more than just going to work everyday, although that is a very good start for a father.I’m talking about, do you serve your family?

Do you sacrifice purchases for yourself to give to your family? Do you give time, even when you have very little to give? Do you find joy in your kid’s joy or do I hear a “you know when I was your age speech a-coming…

Do you give to your kids special times like vacations or daddy dates? Or do you find yourself complaining more about how much this is costing you?

Do you lead in humility? Or as the leader, you just are leading yourself to your happiness?

Do you sacrifice, serve, and lead your family in humility?

You see men, being bold is more than being willing to fight a lion. It is being willing to sit down by the little lambs and talk about what is in their heart. Being bold is more than just climbing a mountain with little air supply, it is being willing to work through problems step by step until you reached the peak. Being bold is more than just standing out in the crowd, it is being willing to stand by your wife in good times & bad, stand by your kids when the love you give does not equal the love you receive, and stand by your God when your culture is telling Him to take a seat.